The shadow that stood in the Hidden Fortress of Volcano Isle, with all six tentacles on the ready, was something that the group waited to expect, and finally see in full motion. His trunk was in a forceful position, and his eyes were sharper than ever. The Hidden Fortress itself held bronze walls on its inside, and there was a floor paved with brimstone. At the top of one of the walls was some sort of church font, filled to the brim with water that stood still for a while. Soon enough, the seven figures stood inside, and took a look around the area.
"Well, this is where the trail ends", blinked Crash.
"And here's where your trouble begins!" a voice came across the area.
"What on John o' Groats is that?" Shep asked with a gasp.
A figure emerged from the darkness, and it came out as nothing more than a zooming shadow around the place. Without hesitation, Shep drew out a shotgun from his backpack, and tried to aim on the figure.
Sooner or later, Shep pulled the trigger, causing a bang to occur. That allowed the figure to stop on center stage... but... it brought two arms out and the bullet popped back out, sending it through the walls, causing a hole in it. Then, it stepped out into the light.
"Nitrous Oxide!" Crash gasped. "But... what the heck do you think you're doing here?"
"Something that I should have done a long time ago - earn total control of the planet!" he snickered. "And I want to thank you for bringing my little helpers."
"What do you think you're talking about?" Eden sighed. "We are not your rightful pets! And furthermore, if you were the one who destroyed the planet, then... why?"
"So you've come all this way and you want to know why I wrecked your pathetic little planet, you miserable scumbags?" he sighed with a questionable tone.
"If that's what it looks like", said Spin, raising an eyebrow.
"OK, to cut a long story short, I still demanded my runners up prize in the Survival of the Fastest."
"What, by wrecking this place to a total wreck?" Spin sighed back. "Why take over this place when you have nothing to rule over?"
"She has a point", Rosie nodded. "Besides, no one will want to remember you. The one thing that keeps us going in this world... is love."
"Sure you may take us without power, but our love will continue to prevail over your madness!" Lozzy sent her hand in the air, smiling. "Ante up!"
Over the speeches, Oxide's face turned red, and his muscles heavily tightened. Then he raised both arms into the air and shouted back at them.
"Face it, your world's dead! Kapoot! It will never regain its strength..." he paused. "Or... can it?"
"Yeah, think about it you dufus". Wooffy sighed, folding his wings. "We'll make sure you'll never see tomorrow here."
"You're readin' my mind, birdboy!" Shep sighed viciously. "This one's for the fokes back home in the highlands!" he then stepped forward. "Get ready for some big Crashy style!"
"That's right!" Crash grinned back. "Keep away from my girls, you fiend!"
This caused Oxide's eyes to get into a rage. Then, without realising, he took a powerful step to the ground and posed like a hockey player. Crash did just the same, followed by Wooffy and Shep by his side. The four elemental gatekeepers stood behind him, ready to make their run. The final battle is about to get started.
"COME ON!!!!!!!!!!" Crash shouted out towards Oxide.
The four of them lunged together into a rugby-like scrap. This left the four elemental gatekeepers to run around them and hover up to the font at the top, or in Rosie's case, climb up there. Immediately they looked into the holy water, remaining still. Then all heads turned to the nearest there, although stone cuts were seen down her shirt.
Immediately, Rosie smiled at the lot of them, and brought out her hands. Her cape started flying in the air in this proceedure. The water started to drift into a hallucination, and below the surface, the core and mantle left from underneath the crust. It seeped its way towards the Earth's original orbit, and it all started reforming. Sooner or later, the core and mantle from the other segments formed with it, and suddenly it formed one bright ball of fire. Back at the font, the four smiled at each other.
Spin and Rosie swapped positions, and as she looked into it, she brought her claws out, and immediately the water started shuffling. An earthquake was felt, as the crust was repositioned around the fire carefully. They reformed as the techtonic plates they once were, and connected up once again. Every mountain was placed back in its place and all volcanoes were back. They started smiling at the sight of it.
Back at the fighting area, Crash and his party earned the upper hand against Oxide for the time being. Although Shep's shotgun was of no use, Wooffy's chainsaw was enough to keep the ailen panicking. And all that Crash's fruit bazooka did was cover the fighters head to toe in wumpa fruit pulp. Sooner or later, Oxide brought out some sort of strange gun in his hand, and aimed it at the lot of them. White energy bolts were triggered out, and the three of them started running away from it. If anything helped, their weapons blocked the attacks.
Meanwhile, at the font, Eden took her place over the area. Her spiritual hands were brought out, and this caused all water to rise up into the sky. Back at the New Earth, the waters from there and the rest of the segments surrounded the planet, and the lot of it started to fall down in a rainstorm. Some of the water even trickled inside the temple, causing a light shower onto the fighters below.
At that point, Lozzy took her position as Ice. She looked down, unsure of her position there... after all, what did Ice have to do with the planet? Then a thought came to her... the early morning cold winds, and the ice caps that keep the planet in its orbit. Chuffed with that, she brought out her hands. And in no time at all, snow started to reform at the North and South poles, and wind started circulating around the planet. Clouds started forming up above. And that caused the four of them to look up.
The place started to shake with fear, and the four of them started to run away from it, to the back door. But a rock stalactite hanging above the main door started to lose its grip. As Crash and his crew dashed in, the rock formation fell to the ground, therefore blocking the door, and getting one of Oxide's feet stuck. The four girls also went to escape by flying or climbing out of the window.
The four reached the outside and started flying down the path towards the House of Dreams. But they stopped, and looked back at the Hidden Fortress. It was all starting to crumble apart, rock by little rock. And some larger boulders started to fall down the cliff into the sea below, giving off large splashes as the fell to the waters.
Back inside, the three of them continued to make their run to the exit, which once again was starting to come apart. Wooffy started to run behind, but Crash quickly grabbed his wing, making him keep up with him. The stalactite started to fall down, and Shep immediately dived out first. Then the two of them were coming closer, when it was released from the ceiling. When they were close to it... the two hands were released, and slowly started to drift apart.
---
The outside air turned colder, as the remainder of the group stood outside, looking at the swirl of fog surrounding the House of Dreams. At this point, Rexy's hand started trembling with fear, clung tightly onto James's left paw. And then... it all came to them. Five figures emerged from the dust. They suddenly became visible, as Crash, Lozzy, Spin, Rosie, and Eden, were on their way out of the danger zone. And in the palms of Lozzy, was something in her very hands - a cushion. Coloured fuschia. And it held one single feather on it. She came up towards Cortex, and muttered one thing.
"I'm sorry…"
The cushion was passed onto him, and the thoughts of fear immediately invaded his eyes. A small tear went down the side of his face, as he knew that such a young lab assistant, has ended up fallen into the hands of demise.
The horrors of the feather have taken away a thousand words from the mad scientist. Bitterness suddenly went across his face, and without knowing he went down onto his knees, placed the pillow on the floor, and looked down at it. And after a further few seconds, when the wind blew much harsher... he brought his head down in shame. And with that, a tear dropped into a muddy puddle below.
But a chilling sensation went through his shoulders. An image of a wing went through his body, and as he looked down at it, he started looking down at the light given off by it. This also caused him to look to his right, and that was where he found Wooffy, hovering a centimetre from the ground, looking down at him. A tear came down from his own eyes, which dissolved into nothing as they went further and further towards the ground.
Back with the elemental gatekeepers, they were all brought into a huddle, looking back at the scenario. Their murmurs seem highly inaudiable at this point. Spin's tail can be seen wagging in the crowd, while Lozzy's wings were being attempted to be thrown back in the wind. Sooner or later, the three of them stood up, and looked directly at the others.
With that, Lozzy brought her right arm forward and brought it into a 'come here' motion. Wooffy looked on at the girls, and into their eyes. It now seemed obvious to them that they were seeking to end something. With curiosity, he hovered over to them and stopped at their feet.
The five of them stood in silence for a few seconds. And all that moved in the wind was the clothes of the people around there. Their eyes showed more than a thousand words to them. And over time, the gatekeepers linked their hands, and hovered into the air gently. A bright white aura surrounded the lot of them, as they continued hovering higher and higher. Wooffy then made his stand in the centre, looking directly at them.
Then there came the remarkable part. The aura rised above the four gatekeepers, and into the air. It formed a cloud glowing all the colours of the rainbow, and then it changed its shape into an orb. Sooner or later... it was nothing more than a bolt, and it aimed directly onto the young owl spirit. Once in contact, his body started glowing red, green, yellow and blue respectively.
His body rose into the air, and in fact, he rose so high he went above the girls! At the same time. the four were drifting down to the floor, and the set of them landed on their feet. They looked up into his eyes, and they were showing that of pure determination.
Then, he suddenly dropped to the ground, on both feet. And even still, his body was still glowing. He looked on at them once again, and saw the four as much weaker versions of themselves. He looked into his chest, and saw four orbs inside his body, swirling the colours of the auras of the gatekeepers. He looked on at them, and smiled. And immediately, Eden stepped towards him, and drew out her hand, urging him to do the same thing. And they were brought into a light handshake for five seconds.
Then, Wooffy looked up into the air and spreaded out his wings. At the same time, he glanced at the gatekeepers, whom were waving at him. With that, he jumped up into the sky, and into the distant sunrise nearby. That was the day, when Wooffy Jonny Whiteowl was seen for the last time, spiritual or otherwise.
---
A week later, the surroundings were already restoring to that of pure bliss. The flowers were beginning to reblossom once again, with all the bees flying towards them. The trees regrew their leaves, and they were as healthy as ever. The skies restored that of a natural blue, with not a cloud in the sky. And in a corner, an adult kangaroo was seen hopping across the sands with its offspring in its pouch. But near its footprints, Cortex was seen sitting on a rock, looking out to the midday sky beyond the ocean. As he sat there, some thoughts began to re-enter his mind.
---
"I know how you feel, but what's better? A lost friend, or a forever ruined planet?" Wooffy asked Smash.
Those words caused the bandilion to prick his ears, and turn to the young owl. His eyes were showing his most deepest concern.
"I want you to think carefully about this", said Smash. "If the planet was forever ruined, then eventually, all life will die out, and we will eventually be in the heavens with that lost friend. But if we change the world back, then we will forever be miles apart from that great pal."
"What do you mean?" Wooffy asked.
"I know that we've gone so far", Smash said while he stood up on both legs, "but we have lost the war. I shall stand here today, and die for my greatest friend, rather than spend the rest of my life suffering."
At the words of Smash's speech, real meaning started to seep into Cortex's face. Until... a voice came from behind.
"Smash, your life is still precious", said Rosie. "Don't throw it away."
"I don't understand what you mean by that."
"I have an idea. We can still have a world with a hero, even if the original champion has gone. You can stand up, and take their place."
A few seconds passed. Smash's tail started to curl up into a small bunny tail formation. Then... he smiled.
"You're right", he sighed. "Life has to go on."
---
Even the thougts themselves weren't enough to keep his expressions together. With that, he placed his hand on his head and slouched down. That was until... a familiar shadow came nearby.
"Still missing Wooffy, eh?" Crash asked.
"I guess", sighed Cortex. "I don't understand how someone as vital as him could go within an instant..."
"Neither do I, but..." He sat down next to him. "Listen. If you miss him then you can at least treasure his memorablia. Like Smash said, you can live your life watch him."
"What, and fly to England to watch soccer matches?" Cortex asked with a curious tone.
"Well... if you want, but not in that sense. He had the spirit of youth inside him, and I wish for you to end up with the same thing."
"Youth...? But..." Cortex looked down at himself, and his more scientific structure. "In terms of physical strength, I'm feeble!"
"Well go to the gym!" Crash smiled.
That caused him to fall off the rock with an anime sweatdrop on his face.
"I guess that may work... and a lot more", Cortex said as he stood back up. "Thanks Crash. If it weren't for you, then the planet would be lost forever."
"Heh, no wonder why Shep called me a 'backstabber to no-one'!"
As the winds blew more gently, Cortex took a sandy path away from the beach in the direction to the inland area. This left Crash to look up into the sky. In his mind, his exhibit was more than a thousand memories to him, and one that he will treasure forever. That was the time when he placed the jigsaw pieces of Earth back together... on the Galaxy of Europe.
-fin-
---
-EPILOGUE-
Crash Bandicoot decided to head on vacation in California to soak up the sun and chill out in the waters. While he's not doing that, he spent his time publishing his tale to any bidding biography writers he could find.
Dr. Neo Cortex returned to his lab to start work on a new lab assistant. The Zephyr Project is running smoothly, and should be out of contamination by next Summer. Elsewhere, he's framed Wooffy's Blackburn Rovers memorablia, to keep his memories with him.
James Dingo II had a makeover, returned to his home in Figaro and also to his treasure hunting roots. Within the first week, he got kicked out of his neighbour's house for taking a piece of lingerie out of a nearby treasure chest.
Smash Lion returned home to his native Victaria Valley to see his sister and girlfriend. His stay soon ended after being kicked out of his own cave just because he brought zebra for dinner instead of antelope.
Wooffy Whiteowl started his run on keeping the world under delicate balance. But he was tired by the end of the month, and by then he missed five Blackburn Rovers matches in a row, and the fact that he can't touch the TV couldn't help either.
Shep Collie returned to his original home in Scotland to see his family again. Once there, he used most of his life savings on a genuine kilt and some high quality bagpipes, and became a true part of the Collie Clan.
Jessica Yamazaki travelled to her future to participate in a string of Future Rivals tournaments. It wasn't until the 15th one until she finally earned the upper hand against her family and took the trophy home.
Rexy stayed in Holland to develop her music career. Her debut album 'No One Lives Forever' sold 3 billion copies across the globe by the Christmas season. Not to mention that she sold out all her gigs, one of the reasons being free beer.
Lozzy Gabbiani stuck with her original word and became a gambler. In this space in time, she is now being seeked for by many Las Vegas casinos, after earning 20 thousand chips in the space of three nights!
Spin Wolarcoot returned to Space again, only this time she made her journey to Yevron to visit her siblings. Her stay suddenly ended when Star accidentally pushed her down a crater, therefore breaking one of her wings.
Rosemary Monkey decided to go and work for charity, free of charge. She spent all of her time visiting people with mental disabilities all over the world, entertaining them and keeping their peaceful spirits high.
Eden Lynx returned to her original home, Angel Island. She got a shock as soon as she stepped through the front door as there were queues of undead waiting to go to Heaven and Hell and now she's spending the past week placing them in their rightful afterlife homes.
Nitrous Oxide returned to Gazmoxia, suffering from a broken arm, a highly misjointed leg and a fractured skull and trunk. Today he is still in intensive care, reviving from every single one of his injuries
Chain Bandicoot returned to Hell to retake his art and design course. Although he scored a grade B this time, his best work, being the 'Moaner Lisa' was carved on the wall near Satan's hideout!
Jaws Watch-Field assigned himself into the Madascar Army, by some surprise. The flour attacks every practice wouldn't even stain his maine, never mind break his bones! A week before they're out to war againast Afghanistan, Jaws is in the front line, so watch this space...
Rugal got a deal from George Lucas and became a stunt double in 'Star Wars Episode III'. But he was soon fired near the end of filming because he pushed Padme Amidala in the volcano instead of Anakin Skywalker. Now Mr. Lucas is rewriting the script from scratch.
Carrie's Cute Random Demon opened up a fast food chain spreading worldwide. The food chain, simply called 'McDemons', had more visitors than any other newcoming bargain holder this year, and could cause the demise of Burger King at long last.
Julian Chao returned to Mobius, and - surprise surprise - took up a career in boxing. His sharp fang attack was shortly banned after causing the loss of many other chaos' arms and giving them infections, but he's still in the game. He wishes to take on Chaos Tyson next week.
Xeno The Xenomorph stayed on Earth, and took the job as a bouncer outside the Studio 54 nightclub in New York. Unfortunately, he was kicked out by accidentally cutting off the Mayor's jacket, whom he mistook for Donald Trump.
---
"Crash Bandicoot: Galaxy of Europe" is © RexRock 2002. "Crash Bandicoot" and all related characters and music are TM and © to Universal Interactive Studios 1996-2002. James Dingo II is © James Dingo II 2002. Smash Lion and Jaws Watch-Field are © Lioness B 2001-2002. Jessica Yamazaki and Rugal are c/o Vector Yamazaki 2001-2002. Lozzy Gabbiani and Xeno the Xenomorph are © Zeriko 2001-2002. Spin Wolarcoot and Chain Bandicoot are © Cherry Vincent 2002. Eden Lynx and Carrie's Cute Random Demon are © SadDroid 2000-2002. Shadow chao design are © Sonic Team 1999-2002. All rights reserved.